Chestnuts from Jello Mold Farm

Chestnuts from Jello Mold Farm

What a funny mix of textures there are in each chestnut seed case.  Those prickly-as-a-hedgehog seed cases protect a nut that is as smooth as marble.  I love the feel of chestnut conkers in my hands.  Jello Mold Farm has several rows of chestnut trees separating their flower beds, and I was so taken with photographing them, I thought they deserved their own post.

 

More Adventures in Eating: Chestnuts

Colossal chestnuts, Jello Mold Farm

My adventures in eating continued with roasted and boiled chestnuts.  This was a good year for chestnuts at Jello Mold Farm.  The nuts were bursting from their spiky green cases.

Chestnut tree, Jello Mold Farm

Diane had harvested some chestnuts that were drying on her kitchen table.  She invited me to fill my pockets so that I could try roasting them at home.  I had never roasted chestnuts before, but I had tasted them one Christmas season when I bought a packet warm from an outdoor vendor.  Diane suggested boiling them as well.  So when I got home, I made two batches — roasted and boiled.  The roasted ones tasted slightly better, but they were hard to peel.  The boiled ones peeled much easier.  Chestnuts make such tasty snacks!

Roasted chestnuts

Boiled chestnuts

Chestnuts ready to eat

Chestnuts

Watercolor sketch of chestnuts

Decorated envelope, letter to a friend